Roads issues to be resolved at housing sites

Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy (right) has taken action to ensure that road works and utility services in a housing development left unfinished by developers facing financial difficulties will be completed using Road Bond funding. Pictured at Chestnut Hall, Maghaberry, with NI Water�"s Development Services Manager Frank Stewart (left) and DRD Transport NI�"s Philip Robinson (centre).

Three local housing sites left unfinished by developers will be completed using Road Bond funding.

Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy has taken action to ensure that road works and utility services in the developments are finished.

Following financial difficulties of three developers TE Graham & Sons (Chestnut Hall, Maghaberry); Bow Homes (Mount Eagles) and Moorcroft Estates (Glenburn Manor) the uncompleted developments quickly fell into disrepair and fell short of the standard required to permit adoption into the roads network by the Department for Regional Development and NI Water.

The estimated amount currently held in surety regarding these developments is in the region of £1,300,000, which shall be recovered by the Department to cover the cost of these necessary works.

Under the Private Streets Order Legislation, Mr Kennedy instructed his Department to use the Road Bond, originally put up as a surety by the developer, to fund the completion of the unfinished work without the need for additional public funding.

Mr Kennedy said: “Following the unfortunate financial difficulties of the developers, funding to complete the utilities in Chestnut Hall, Maghaberry, Mount Eagles, and Glenburn Manor, Dunmurry will be entirely drawn from the developers’ Road Bonds.

“The Bond is a vital requirement within a development contract and is included to safeguard the public purse.

“Over the past months residents have seen DRD and NI Water complete the very significant amount of work required.”

DRD and NI Water have continued to work closely together over a number of months to ensure that the road and sewer infrastructure of the three developments were upgraded significantly.

This has enabled them to be adopted into the public realm permitting the Department to oversee the maintenance of these streets.